The objective of this proposed research is to attempt to validate on a factual basis, the claims of some oriental physicians that acupuncture treatment will favorably influence essential hypertension. The method used will be that of selecting hypertensive patients who have been screened for elimination of those easily definable causes of hypertension and treating them for two weeks on placebo medication. They will then be treated by a double blind cross-over study to compare their response to two antihypertensive agents now considered as beneficial. After six weeks on the above regimen, patients will again be treated for two weeks with placebo medication, and they will then be given treatments by acupuncture for a period of four weeks. During the entire period, patients will have a record kept of their systolic and diastolic pressures as measured by a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope, and their catecholamine levels will be measured before and after each treatment session. Using non-invasive methods, their pulse pressure and pulse wave will be recorded on a direct writer before, during, and after each therapeutic session. At the conclusion of the acupuncture test period, their weekly and final responses to treatment schedules will be compared to those recorded on placebo and accepted medical therapy.